Motion Picture Funnies Weekly 1
| next = }} Motion Picture Funnies Weekly is a one-shot free giveaway special published by First Funnies, Inc., which was founded by Lloyd Jacquet. The issue was distributed as a promotional door prize outside of movie theaters in April, 1939. This issue is significant in that it is the first appearance of what will come to be known as the Marvel Universe. The Marvel Comics superhero the Sub-Mariner makes his debut in this issue. The first story in this issue, "Here is the Sub-Mariner!", was written and illustrated by Bill Everett. "Here Is the Sub-Mariner!" A diver named Rod Nelson from the salvage ship S.S. Recovery explores a sunken vessel in the Southern Ocean. He reports back to his captain that he discovered a vault within the vessel, but there is evidence that it had recently been emptied. The captain sends Nelson and a man named Carley back down to get further information. As they approach the sunken ship, they see that a hatchway has been torn open. They spy a thin young man swimming about under water without the aid of diving equipment. This man, the Sub-Mariner, sees the divers and mistakes them for robots. He cuts off their air hoses believing it to be a power conduit and then stabs one through the chest, while crushing the head of the other. He then attacks the Recovery, breaking it's rudder, thus forcing it to veer into a bed of rough corral, which sheers the ship into two. The Sub-Mariner then brings the bodies of Nelson and Carley back to Atlantis, where he presents them to the city's ruler, the Holy One. Removing their helmets, it is then that he realizes that they are humans. The Sub-Mariner's mother, Princess Fen, congratulates him on the great strides he has taken in the city's war against the surface world. The Sub-Mariner asks his mother why the two cultures are at war. Fen explains that the conflict began in 1920 when an icebreaker vessel called [[Oracle icebreaker|The Oracle]] began dropping depth charges in this area of the ocean, unwittingly destroying large sections of the undersea populace. Fen was sent to infiltrate the crew of the ship as a spy. She met the Oracle 's captain, Leonard McKenzie, and pretended to be an ill stowaway. The two eventually fell in love with one another and were married. Fen reported back to the King that the surface people were too strong to wage war against, so they spent the following twenty years building up an army. Fen instructs the Sub-Mariner to lead the charge against the surface world. Appearances * Sub-Mariner, Namor * Emperor Tha-Korr * Princess Fen * None * Anderson * Carley * Karal, an Atlantean * Rod Nelson * None * Atlanteans * Humans * Mutants * Antarctica * Atlantis * Southern Ocean * South Pole * * [[Oracle icebreaker|The Oracle]] * S.S. Recovery * Environmental adaptability * Superhuman strength "Kar Toon and His Copy Cat" Appearances * * * * * * * * * * "Jolly the Newsie" Appearances * * * * * * * * * * "The Wasp" Appearances * * * * * * * * * * "Origin of the American Ace" Appearances * American Ace, Perry Webb * * * * * * * * * Notes & Trivia * First Funnies, Inc. was located at 45 West 45th Street, New York City, New York. * Motion Picture Funnies Weekly was not sold on news stands. It was given away as a free promotional at movie houses in April, 1939. * Some sources have credited Martin Filchock with illustrating the cover to this issue, while more reliable sources establish that it was actually drawn by Fred Schwab.Grand Comics Database; Motion Picture Funnies Weekly #1 * This issue is notable for being the first appearance of Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner, who is chronologically the very first Marvel Comics character. Retroactively, that makes this issue the first appearance of the Earth-616 reality, aka, the Marvel Universe. * This issue was published six months before ''Marvel Comics'' #1, which is the first appearance of the Human Torch. * Sub-Mariner creator Bill Everett is the art director of First Funnies, Inc. * Issue includes a Fun-o-graph activity page; possibly drawn by Vernon Miller. * Pages 1-8 of "Here Is the Sub-Mariner!" are reprinted in Marvel Comics'' #1, ''Marvel Masterworks: The Sub-Mariner'', Volume 1, ''Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics'', ''Marvel Comics: 70th Anniversary Edition'' and ''Sub-Mariner Comics: 70th Anniversary Special'' #1. Parts of the story have also been reprinted as the back-up feature in ''Invaders'', Volume 1 #20. * Pages 1-6 of "Origin of the American Ace" have been reprinted in ''Marvel Mystery Comics'' #2 and ''Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics''. * First and only appearance of Anderson and Nelson; both die in this issue. * Leonard McKenzie died prior to the publication of this title. All appearances made by him are in flashback. * This is the first comic book appearance of Atlanteans. The DC Comics version of Atlanteans are introduced seven months later in the Zatara story from ''Action Comics'' #18 in November, 1939. Recommended Reading See also * External Links * Motion Picture Funnies Weekly #1 at MDP * * References Category:1939/Comic issues Category:April, 1939/Comic issues Category:First Funnies, Inc.